Bone and joint exercises to help you age well

As we age, our bone and joints begin to become brittle and tend to suffer more stress. One of the main bone conditions that occurs is osteoporosis. Exercise can help prevent osteoporosis and other severe bone conditions from developing. Here’s exactly why and how you should get started:

Why is exercise beneficial for your bone and joint health?

As you age, your body begins to deteriorate, which is why it’s important to make your body is in ideal condition before that natural process starts. Studies show bone mass peaks during an individual’s 30s. After this point, bone mass begins to decrease. By working out at an early age and continuing the habit will help keep your bone and joints healthy and strong longer.

What is osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis is when your bones begin to lose their density. As your bone density decreases because it becomes porous. At this point, your bones are more susceptible to breakage and fractures. It’s hard to detect osteoporosis until the first fracture or injury occurs.

What bone and joint exercises are effective?

Weight-bearing and resistance exercises are the most effective in strengthening and increasing the longevity of your bones and joints. Exercises such as hiking, cycling, dancing, jogging, swimming and biking all dramatically improve patients’ over bone and joint health. In addition, these exercises double up as cardio which helps improve the body’s overall function.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that adults get a minimum of 150 minutes of moderate exercise or at least 75 minutes of vigorous exercise per week. This is a good baseline for patients to use when thinking of how long they need to exercise and how often.

If you believe you are at a risk for osteoporosis or other bone and joint disorders, contact your doctor to begin preventive measures today. In addition to exercise, your doctor might prescribe some vitamins and a special diet to help reduce bone loss.